Electrical phonograph driving mechanism



Oct, 9, 1923. 1,469

' W. W. DEAN ELECTRICAL PHONOGRAPH DR'IVING MECHANISM Filed Nov; 12, 1919 2 Sheets-Sheet l Oct. 9, 1923. Y 1,469,780

, w. w. DEAN ELECTRICAL PHONOGRAPH DRIVING MECHANISM Filed Nov. 12, 1919 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 JF/ L Patented Oct.

UNITED? s ms- 1. 6 PA ENT o t-Flea.

WILLIAM w. pm, orwrnmn'rrn, rumors, nssruon ronrrrcmncr ELECTRIC conrom'rrou, or maw YORK, n. 1, a co-nrona'rrou or NEW YORK.

ELECTRICAL rnonoemn nmvme mncnnnrsrt. I,

Application filed Kovember 12, 1919. Serial No. 337,5l.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM W. DEAN, a. citizen of the United states esidingat Wil-' mette, in the county of Cook and theState of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electrical Phonograph Driving Mechanisms, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact 4 description, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which my invention appertains to make and usethe same. a My invention relates to electric phonograph driving mechanisms, and more particularly to such mechanisms wherein the phonograph record supporting turntable: is

caused to revolve by being driven by an electric motor.

One of the objects of my inventionus to produce, a phonograph power transmlttmg mechanism which shall be exceedingly quiet in operation and in which contributing causes which would otherwlse produce noises of various kinds being hereinehmlnated or suppressed so that substantially the only nolse which may be heard when a phonograph equipped with the driving of my invention is in operation is that produced by the needle int of the phonograph reproducer whic rests upon the rotating record.

- Another object. of myt'invention is provide such an electrically l(fiieratcd motor .driven mechanism which w' be capable of being cheaply; manugfactured in quantit es without any great variation in the quality of-the devices produced. Another object of my invention is to produce such a manufactured device as will remain in adjustmentfor long periods of time without perceptible adjustment change, and furtherflo provide means to alter" the adjustment of such a mechanism. 7

Other objects of my invention and the invention itself will perhaps be more apparent by referring to the drawings of an embodi- .ment thereof, forming a part of this specification and in which drawin Fig. 1 showsa side view o the of my invention, m its upright operative o mechanism sition, this view showing the driving mec anism and associated parts as well as an ed of the supporting board and the turntab e I carried on the top side of the board; In this view a side view of the controlling switch taken from a mechanism ofmy invention, this view being point at rightangles to the View of Fig. 1.

Fig.2 shows an end view of the driving Fig '3 shows a schematic circuit diagram of' the electrical circuits involved.

Fig. 4 shows a plan view of the speed reducing pinion-and-worm driving link through which motion is communicated from the driving motor to the driven turntable.

Fig. 5 shows a side cross-sectional view of the pinion illustrated in Fig. 4, the turntable, the turntable support, the pinion support and associated parts. 'Fig; 6 shows a sectiona gear secured to the motor shaft, to transmit motion from the motor shaft to the phono-v graph turntable. i" Referrin now'to the drawings in which 1 view of a worm like parts i ustrated in the different figures are designated by thesames reference characters, at M, I show an electric motor, which is preferablyof the-series wound type, in I which the winding and the armature operate series circuit. This motor is secured by machine screws m, to a metallic support S and which su port is secured by machine screWsMS- to a supporting board B, felt washers being referably interposed, in each case, between t the metallic support. 7 TI? phonograph turntable is illustrated at adapted to be driven :by the electric motor e supporting board and being secured to -a shaft TS which. is Q M through the .speed reducing, mechanical I.

link comprising a worm 15 mounted on the motor shaft. lfiand' the pinion 17 carried in frictional driving engagement with the said turntable shaft TS. The specific construction and mounting of the pinion" and gear members 15 and 17 with their associated parts is important so far ascertain phases of my invention is coneerned'and 'will be later described'in detail.

' The ratio' of speed reduction accomplished by the worm and pinion to the motor shaft to the turntable shaft is preferably about 1.5

to 1 so that for a motor speed of 1100 revolu tions per minute the turntable shaft is re- 'volving' about 78' times per minute. This the given motor speed secure very good results in a motor of relatively small slze,

ratio may be altered somewhat when the driving motor is operated at difi'erent speeds than at 1100 R. P. M. although I find that, using motors of the standard type, I can at conructed to operate at a somewhat higher 0n the motor shaft 16, I mount a ll wheel l IFW which rotates on the said she and which carries a pair of weighted members 18 and 19 which are normally yieldinglyl held in normal position by hair-pin springs 20 and 21 respectively. The members 18 and 19 are constructed of folded pieces of sheet metal, each being in the form of a bell crank lever, one of the arms of each being weight- -ed, by weights W, secured'to the ends of the arms by a machine screw 22, the other arms of thesebell crank lever members, ex-

tending over the end of the shaft 16, being,

pivotally held in such position by the hair in spring members and 21. The axially ocated ends of the bellcrank lever arms are preferably formed somewhat difierently so that the arm 23 of the member 18 is lapped over the end of the arm 24 of the member 19. A socket member 25 is carried on the lapped end of the arm 23 having a socket indentation 26 which is regular in shape and "highly polished, this socket indentation being arranged in line with the axis of the rotation of the shaft 16'.

A toggle pin 27, has one end pressed into engagement with the inner'cupped surface of the indentation 26, by the electrical contact controlling spring member 28, which also carries a socket or cupped member 29, havin the cupped indentation 30, into which the ot er end of the toggle pin is placed.

Thus the toggle pin is spring pressed be tween-the cups 26 and 30 by the electrical contact controlling spring 28, and when the bell crank lever arm 23 is moved, the motion is transmitted longitudinally of the motor shaft 16, by the toggle pin 27 and the toggle pin will move the spring member 28 to cause it to operate the set of electrical contacts 31. The. set of contact springs adapted to be controlled by the contact spring 28, comprises the springs 32 and 33,

. normally in electrical contact with each,

' 'iasnch that normally the contacts 31 on the member EC, and the linhng r ea-rec springs 32 and 33 are in engagement and this condition-prevails for all speeds up to a certain predetermined speed at which the sprin 21 is forced outwardly to a suflicient degree that it will contact with the spring 33 to mechanically engage it, whereupon it may, upon increased speeds, carry the spring 33, with it to break the contacts 31. Referring now particularly to Fig. 3 which shows a schematic diagram of the motor controllin circuits at I) and I show the two incoming ine conductors from a source of electric current, not shown, but which source may generate alternating or direct currents suc as ar commonly used, for instance, for

house lighting purposes. I extend these conductorsthrough a suitable switch SW, which is mounted on the upper side of the 'supporting board as is best illustrated at Fig. 1, and also throu ha normally short circuited resistance coil 0 to the motor M. The resistance coil RC isnormally short circuited by the spring contacts 31 whose operation has been previously described,'and upon a given predetermined motor speed where at the contacts 31 are opened as before de-"" scribed, the resistance'coil RC, is brought to circuit with themotor M, to efi'e'ct an im-.

mediate decrease in the flow of exciting current to decrease the motor speed.

I prefer to place the resistance coil RC about the contacts 31 instead of allowing these contacts to open the circuit of the motor entirelyfsince otherwise, undue sparking at the contacts 31, will cause corrosion of these contacts and a slight hissing noise' would be heard. The adjustment of the contact springs may be changed by turning the thrust screw TC,'illustrated in- Figs. 1 and 2, which has' an insulated end bearing against the contact spring 32." v

For the purpose of regulating the speed, a thumbscrew ST is located on the upper side of the supporting board B, so as to be convenient of access when the phonograph is in operative condition; this thumbscrew is carried on the end of a long rod' SR having at its other end aneccentric cam member EC, the rod SR extending through the moulded insulating block MB, upon which the contact spring set is mounted. A toggle pin T]? is carried in a hole extending through a portion of the insulating block IVIB, the toggle pin being spring pressed" against the eccentric member EC by the pressure of the contact spring 32, and the spring '32, when the thumbscrew ST is turned, is moved to difl erent' operative adjustment positions, the motion being transmitted through the rod SR, the. eccentric toggle pin TP. It may be further noted that the insula- 1ng block contains an assembly of all of the spring contact elements, the spring con-. tacts and contact adjusting elements being of providing such expedients as, for instance, collector ringsdwith brushes and -the like, which are objectionable in practice for various reasons; .I' have furthermore provided a unitary piece of apparatus which is capable of being easily and. reliably adjusted while in use and which may be easily removed as a unit for inspection and repairs. g

' The subject matter of the governing mechanism disclosed herein is claimed in my -co-pendin application, Serial No. 473,569, filed ay 31, 1921, the claims herein bein confined to other features of the Referring now particularly to 'Fig. 5, in which a cross-sectional view 1s shown of the vertical shaft TS carrying the turntable TN,

and also of the co-operating elements, comprisingsupporting elements and motion transmitting elements, at S, is shown a portion of the metallic-support to which the various parts are secured and which support is fastened to the under side of the sup-' porting board B, as before described At BG is lllustrated a metallic bridge member,- which may be a die casting, for holding the various-motion transmitting elements and insuring their correct alignment. This member is illustrated also in igs. 1, 2, and

4. A hole is drilled vertically through the metallic supgort S and a portlon of the bridge member G to admit the shaft TS, the walls of this hole formin abearing surface for the rotatable shaft. tube memberTB havinga flanged head FL, is adapted to v fitted over the lower end of the shaft which contains atransverse slot. This tube memtransverse slot TG to key the shaft to the tube member TB.

A sleeve 'SL is slid over a section of thetubular portion of the bridge B G which! forms a bearing BB for the turntable shaft,

and also over a section of thetubular member TB, having preferably the same outsidexdiameter, ;and a small set screw 41,

- permanently secures the sleeve SL in position. This sleeve SL is required to maincupped also if desired.

tain the position of the tubular member TB,

in case the turntable TN should be removed 5 from the phonograph, the tubular member in such case then being held inplace by hein 'oined through the sleeve SL with the tu u ar portion of the bridge member BG.

At GB is shown the thrust bearing su porting portion of the bridgemember B being provided for the, purpose of forming an end support and bearing for the vertical rotating parts which move with the turntable TN, comprising the shaft TS with its co-operating elements. The portion GB of the bridge, has a hole drilled vertically through it, this hole being drilled at the same time and by the same operation, when the hole which forms the bearing BB in the upper part of the bridge is drilled, a similar bearing GG. being formed in the lower bridge portion, for the rotatable shaft RS, frictionally connected to the turntable shaft TS, and which rotates with it when the phonograph is in ordinary use, as'will be readily understood from the description which follows.

The shaft RS is supportedon a hearingball 42 which is axially located .by a hearing cup intermediate in the end of the shaft R This ball rests, as illustrated, upon a smooth end plane surface of the machine screw 43, although thissurface may be The screw 43 .is adapted to be longitudinally adjusted :so' as to raise or lower the turntable TN- and all intermediate rotating parts including the pinion PN. ,The pinionPN is carried between the end flange FL of the tubular mem:

able shaft RS, journaled in GBL Two felt washers 44 and 45 are placed one on each side of the pinion PN to frictionally clamp metal of small'diameter, which may in the latter case, carry a sound non-conducting insulation betweenit and the joined pinion. The pinion is adapted to center the pinion PN, and being made of very small diam- 'ber TB and the end flange EF'of the rota eter or of material which is a non-conduc;

tor .of sound vibrations or both, will not convey to an appreciable extent, gear noise vibrations from the pinion BN'to the metal lic bridge BG through the shaft RS. The

felt washers 44am 45 not only subdue the tendency of the pinion to vibrate, givin g grating noise; but prevent such -noise producing vibrations as may possibly be had, under extreme conditions, frombeing communicated to the metallic supports and to the turnable shaft TS. i

I find that in most,of ;the devices of the art hereto producedythat the turntable, being-of relatively large diani'eterand relaphragm communicates to the air amplified vibrations, creating an unpleasant and disturbing noise efi'ect.

In the device of my invention, I thereby provide a floating pinion which is insulated from the turntable, so far as sound vibrations are concerned, and the pinion itself is dampened by the clamping felt washers on either side of the pinion so that the tendency of the pinion to produce high frequency, vibrations is practically eliminated. 7

To communicate motion to. the pinion PM, I provide aworm-gear 15', secured on a projecting end of the motor shaft 16, the worm-gear engaging the teeth of the pinion PN so that the pinion may be driven thereby. This worm gear is, as is best illustrated in- Fig. 6 in the form of a hollow tube carried on an extension 47, of the motor shaft 16, and which extension is of reduced cross-section. The worm-gear tube 15 is insulatedfrom the shaft 16 and the reduced end thereof, by felt washers i9 and 50 and a bushing of sound insulating material, which may b als of felt, 51. By theprovision of this sound insulating material, ll so cushion the rotatable geai' 15, that no sudden blows may be struck by the helical thread 61, thereof, against the co-operating teeth of the pinion PN, when the motor is operating, and any vibrations which might otherwise be set up between these two movable parts, are subdued to a degree amounting to practicalelimination, 1

A thrust bearing ball62, is placed between the clamping nut 48 on the worm gear carrying shaft, anda fixed longitudinally adjustable stationary thrust member, herein illustrated as a machine screw 64. The machine screw 64 is carried on a projecting arm 65, of the rigid metallic bridge Gr,-and when properly adjusted places the shaft in proper operative position so that the armature will 'havefsuch a position as will align it magnetically with the motor field poles, and it is heldin such a position by a setnut, 66, which set nut must be loosened whenever the longitudinal adjustment of the shaft is .tobe changed. The clamping nut 48 on the end of the pinion shaft is adapted 'to so clamp the worm gear 15 so that it will be tightly held on the shaft 47 and will, atiall times, rotate with it. 7

.The engaged pinion PN, adapted to be driven by the worm 15 however, is preferably only frictionally held between the clampin felt washers 44 and 45. By this means, enable the operator of the phonograph to stop the revolving turntable for ment of which with the clamping the purpose of placing thereon or removing, 0 both, phonograph records, this being accomplished without stopping the elec tric motor which will continue to rotate the pinion PN, but the frictional engaigee t washers on either side, is not sufficient to cause th stopping of the motor when the turntable TN, is held against motion, or to cause the motor M to exert a considerable turning efiort on the turntable shaft TS, as might otherwise inconvenience the operate? who attempts holding the turntable sti v By the long, bearing BB for the turntable shaftTS, and the method of assembly, herein specifically set forth, ll. am able to rotate the turntable TN, regularly without any dipping of one edge -or other of the turntable as it rotates, due to a lack of proper alignment of the various moving or related parts.

Having thus described my invention, ll wish to state that I am aware that numerous and extensive departures may be made from bination with a phonograph motor, a rotatable turntable, a turntable supporting shaft, a motorshaft, interconnecting means.

for communicating rotary motion from the said motor tothe said shaft, said interconnecting means comprising an intermediate yielding member-of relatively sound nonconducting material, a governlng mechanism for the said motor, a moving member therefor adapted to be vibrated by rapidly changing motor speeds, said non-sound conducting intermediate member bemg disposed between the said governor movable member and the said turn-table shaft,

2. In a phonograph, the combination with a phonograph motor, a turntable, a.

turntable shaft, a motor shaft speed reducing means for communicating motion from the motor shaft to the said turntable shaft said speed reducing means comprising a motor shaft member and a turntable shaft member, each member being mounted on its respective shaft, one of the said members having yielding frictional engagement with its shaft, the last said member being insulllltt lated from its shaft by sound insulating means.

3. In a phonograph, the combination with a phonograph motor, a turntable, a. turntable shaft, a motor shaft speed reducing means for communicating motion from the motor shaft to the said turntable shaft, said speed reducing means comprising a motor shaft member and a turntable shaft member, each member being mounted on its re- I spective shaft, one of the said members having yielding frictional engagement with its shaft, one of the said members being insulated from its shaft by sound insulating means. a

4. In a phonograph, the combination with a phonograph motor, a turntable, aturntable shaft, a motor shaft speed reducing means for communicating motion from the motor, shaft to the said turntable'shaft said ,spced reducing means'tpmprising a motor shaft member and a turntable shaft member, each member being mounted on its respective shaft, one of the said members having yielding, frictional engagement with its shaft, both of-the said members being insulated from their respective shafts by sound.

' insulating means. I

- 5. In a phonograph, the combination with a turntable, a turntable shaft, .said tumtable shaft comprising two separable sections, one of the said sections being nonremovably secured to the said turntable, a driving pinion carried on the other shaft section, means to cause the two shaft sections to enter into driving engagement with each other, a frame member, shaft bearings in the said frame and each of the said sections in longitudinal alignment, a motor a motor shaft, a bearing in the said frame or thesaid motor shaft and a speed reducing 7 gear member in driving connection with the said motor shaft, said member engaging the said pinion. I

6. In a phonograph, .the combination with i a phonograph motor, a shaft therefor, a

turn-table, a turn-table shaft, a worm gear carried ;by the said motor shaft, a gear pinion adapted to be driven bythe said .Worm gear, a friction clutch connecting the said pinion with the said turn-table shaft,

said friction clutch comprisin o posin clutch faces and an intermedi te of relatively non-sound conducting t'extilematerial, said material being impregnated with oil.

-7. In a phonograph mechanism, the combination with a phonograph motor, a shaft therefor, a turntable shaft, a worm gear carned by the said motor shaft, a gear pinion adapted to be driven by the said worm ar, motion communicating means connectmg the said pinion with the said shaft, said means comprising a section of. relatively sound non-conducting-material.

8. a phonograph mechanism, the combmation with a phonograph motor, a shaft therefor,fa turntable shaft, a worm gear earned by thesaid motor shaft, a gear,

pinion adaptedv -to be driven by the said worm gear, motion communicating means connecting the said pinion with the said shaft, said- 'means ..compris a, section of relatively sound, n0n-' and said turntable 'sha 'auxlhary 'supportmg frame, said "shaft being jourconducting material, a supporting frame for thesaid motor, an auxiliary frame member carried by the said supporting frame, said shaft being journalled in the upper por-' tion of the said auxiliary frame, a thrust hearing at the end of the said motor shaft,

said thrust bearing comprising an adjustable member frame. r

9. In a phonograph mechanism, the combiriation with a phonograph motor, a shaft therefor, a turntable shaft, a worm gear carried by. the said motor shaft, a gear pin.- ion adapted to-be driven by the said worm ar,. motion communicating means connectmg the saidpinion with the said, shaft, said means comprising a section of, relatively sound' non-conduct frame for the said motor, an a 'ary frame member carried by the said supporting frame, said shaft being journalled in,

auxiliary.frame.' 7

carried by the said auxiliary" material, a sup ort- 10. In a phonograph'mechanism, the combination with a phonograph motor, ashaft therefor, a turntable shaft, a worm gear carried by the said motor shaft, a gear pinion adapted. to be driven bythe saidworm gear, motion communicating means connecting the said pinion with the said shaft, said means comprising a section of relatively sound-non-conducting material a supporting frame for the said motor, an frame member carried by the said nalled in the upper portion of the said auxiliary frame, a thrust bearing at the end of the said motor shaft, said thrust bearing compris' g an adjustable member carried bytheisa id a' uxiliary frame, a shaft supporting the said at pinion, said gear inion shaft, and said turntable shaft bemg aligned axially, said'gear pinion shaft being journalled in the lower portion of the said auxiliary frame, and an adjustable shaft end supporting bearing comprising a bearing ballsupporting the lower end of the said pinion shaft.

11. In aphoiiograph mechanism, the combination with a phonograph motor, a shaft therefor, a turntable shaft, aworm gear'-' carried by the said motor shaft, a gear pin- 'ion. adapted to be driven'by the said worm gear, motion communicating the said pinion with the said shaft, said means comprising a section of relatively sound non-conducting material, a supporting frame for the said motor, an auxiliary frame member carried by the said supporting frame, said shaft being journalledin the upper por tion of the said auxiliary frame, a thrust bearingat the end of the said motor shaft, said thrust bearing comprising an adjustable member carried by the said auxiliary frame, a shaft supporting the mid gear pinion, said gear pinion shaft, and said turntable shaft beingali-gned axially, said gear pinion shaft being journalled in the lower portionof the said auxiliary frame, and an,

- adjustable shaft end supporting bearing comprising a bearing ball supporting the lower end of the said pinion shaft, and

means for axially adjusting the said pinion shaft, said adjusting means being carriedin the said auxiliary frame memben 12. In a phonograph, the combination with a honograph motor, a turn-table, a

turn-tab e shaft, a'worm gear carried bythe said shaft, a gear pinion adpted to be driven by the said Worm gear, a friction clutch connecting the said pinion With thesaid turn-table shaft, said friction clutch I ILLIAM W. DEAN. 

